When Ravichandran Ashwin refused to bowl at Steve Smith having camera on his helmet

Legendary Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has just retired from international cricket, is known for his brilliant understanding of the game.

Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif, who worked alongside Ashwin for two seasons as an assistant coach with the Delhi Capitals, recalled how Ashwin’s deep understanding of the game left a lasting impression on him.

“I’ve worked with Ashwin in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for two seasons in the Delhi Capitals camp. Back in 2020, when the team reached the final, Ashwin played a crucial role. He bowled with the new ball and even got the wickets of big players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Kieron Pollard, etc. Later in 2021, he was even picked for the T20 World Cup, which happened after the IPL and both tournaments were held in Dubai,” said Kaif.

Must Read: Ind vs Aus: What is ailing batting of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma?

“Steve Smith was in our team, and one day when he came to the nets to bat, I asked Ashwin to bowl to him. However, the off-spinner denied. That’s when I was impressed with his in-depth analysis of the game,” he further said.

“Ashwin said, ‘I won’t bowl to Smith because he has got a camera on his helmet. He will record us and analyse it for the World Cup.’ I couldn’t notice the camera on Smith’s helmet, but Ashwin did. He was ready to help Smith as a teammate but not for the World Cup,” he added.